1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is an audio rod in the form of an elongated and tubular shaped surround speaker seating within a modified rod holder. The rod holder exhibits a guide channel and associated wire connections for seating in electrically communicating fashion an inserting guide portion with locating guide screws engageable within a mating track or vertical slot defined in the rod holder and from which the audio rod upwardly projects. An outer HDPE or other suitable plastic case provides for environmentally secure storage of the audio rod when not in use. An additional portable and pedestal base unit substitutes for the rod holder, such as for portable (non-marine) applications and integrates a suitable power supply along with digital display screen (such as capacitive touch) to facilitate access and playback of music. Existing cloud storage and retrieval protocols can also be utilized, either along with or in substitution of digital storage built into the unit for accessing a music library.
2. Description of the Background Art
The prior art is documented with examples of marine relate audio devices. Among these, Rayfield US 2007/0011934 teaches a multi-use fishing holder with 360 degree audio and visual output alarm capability and in which the components are incorporated into the fixed tubular support. Additional marine speaker constructions of conventional variety are depicted in Rosswork, U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,390 and Adams US 2008/0141924.
A further class of generally tubular shaped speaker designs includes the speaker system of Fingleton, U.S. Pat. No. 6,859,543 with a top end opening. Other general cylindrical speaker designs, such as without limitation utilizing variations of audio permissive tubes combined with standard coaxial speaker output components, are referenced in each of Beveridge, U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,023, Robinson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,731, Meissner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,728 and Suzuki, U.S. Pat. No. 7,654,362.
Options for current boat sound systems typically include either the provision of stock speakers from the manufacturer, which tend to be of low quality, or custom systems which are often very expensive and are designed to be mostly audible from within the boat itself. Given that a significant amount of boating activities, including such as raft off parties, involves the participants being in the water surrounding the boat, an effective solution for providing a 360° surround sound profile is desired.